Jonathan Ramsey Hasford, an associate professor of marketing in the Haslam College of Business, was placed on paid leave on March 20, 2026, after being arrested for aggravated domestic assault.

Hasford will see court this Friday and his attorney is confident the matter will be resolved.

This charge is classified as a felony in the state of Tennessee.

According to WBIR, the warrant for Hasford’s arrest was for “choking a woman until she could not breathe.” The warrant also stated that Hasford had been drinking prior to the incident.

The admin leave letter sent to Hasford by the office of the provost read:

“Effective immediately, you are placed on administrative leave (with pay), pending further evaluation of proceedings external to the University … Therefore, any teaching, research or service assignments requiring immediate attention will be reassigned to other faculty.” 

T. Scott Jones, Hasford’s defense attorney, said that Hasford “deeply regrets the family situation that is the focus of this inquiry and has constructively worked with and through his counsel to bring the same to an appropriate conclusion.”

Jones also said that “a resolution is on the near horizon.”

Hasford will appear in court on May 1 for a preliminary hearing.

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